After stellar performances by opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and all-rounder Shivam Dube, propelling India to a convincing six-wicket victory over Afghanistan and securing the series, captain Rohit Sharma expressed satisfaction, noting that his team has nearly checked off every box in both matches.
At the Holkar Stadium, Rohit faced an early setback, getting out for a golden duck in the opening over of India’s pursuit of 173. However, impressive innings of 68 off 34 balls from Jaiswal, marking his fourth T20I fifty, and an unbeaten 63 off 32 balls from Dube, his second consecutive half-century, coupled with a formidable 92-run partnership between them, ensured India comfortably chased down the target with 26 balls to spare.
Rohit Sharma reflected on the team's clarity of purpose, stating, "We have been clear with what we wanted to do, very clear message to everyone and when you see a performance like that, you can be really proud. One thing is talking about it, but to actually go there and play that way is a proud feeling. The last two games, we've ticked a lot of boxes.”
Acknowledging the outstanding contributions of Jaiswal and Dube, Rohit praised their skills, saying, "They've had a great couple of years, Jaiswal has played Test cricket now and even T20I. He has shown what he is capable of. He has the talent and has a great range of shots. Dube is a big guy, very powerful and can take on the spinners. That is his role and he has come out and played two crucial innings for us.”
Despite facing a second successive duck in his 150th T20I game, Rohit expressed joy over reaching the significant milestone, saying, "It is a great feeling, it has been a long journey starting way back in 2007. I've cherished every moment I have spent here.”
In the bowling department, left-arm spinner Axar Patel stood out with figures of 2-17, while Arshdeep Singh claimed three wickets, restricting Afghanistan to 172 despite Gulbadin Naib's commendable 57. Axar Patel, rightly credited with the Player of the Match award, attributed his T20I bowling success to a change in pace and disciplined adherence to his plans.
Axar Patel shared his approach, stating, "Feels good, I just realized that I have got 200 T20 wickets. But what is important is to keep doing well for India. Honestly, a few years later I won't remember how many wickets I took. I have been trying to bowl a bit slower, vary my lengths and now I have been able to gauge these things better. Now I have the confidence to bowl at all times, even in the powerplay.”
Afghanistan skipper Ibrahim Zadran praised Gulbadin Naib's performance but expressed frustration over the team's inconsistency throughout different phases of the game, emphasizing the need to address these issues before the upcoming T20 World Cup. Zadran highlighted, "We are going for the T20 World Cup, so we don't want to repeat these mistakes. Gulbadin is the most senior guy in the team; we trust him and when he played a few shots in the powerplay, we wanted him to take that momentum throughout the innings."
(With Agency Inputs)
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